Sounds of Silence
by Tofu-Monstrosity
Summary: Tags to 7X08 "Powerdown". Abby is stuck without music in her lab and she can't take it. When a certain agent comes down to check on her she finds the scientist near breaking point and she dosen't know why. ONe-shot ZivaXAbby friendship.


**Sounds of Silence**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything!**

Abby is racing around her lab. "Not good!" She scrambles. Gibbs hasn't been down; of course he's probably right at home without any power. Abby twirls her pigtails nervously. She bites her lip. Rocking back and forth on her platform heels she races around the room.

"Ok Abby. It was seventh grade. Lemon battery." Abby stops in her tracks after talking to herself, she thought she heard her computer beep. Her black hair hits her face as she spins around. She brushed it away and moved toward her computers, her "babies" She stops again. "Shit. No power" She mutters to herself.

"Abby?" A familiar voice states from the doorway. Abby spins around. She was expecting Gibbs in his haunting way to be standing there but here stands the tall Israeli woman with the gift of light. A flashlight.

"Ziva!" Abby smiles in the dark at her friend before giving her the signature Abby-bone-crushing-hug.

"The only power is running to the freezers in autopsy" Ziva explains what Abby already knows.

"I know, and they won't even spare a spark for forensics…" Abby huffs like a small child.

"Or the elevators…McGee and I were stuck for hours…" Ziva shudders involuntarily at the memory that will probably keep her out of elevators for weeks, Abby laughs.

"Well, I'm glad you're here. Because I am having a serious problem." Abby states flat out.

"And what might that problem be?" Ziva asks the mistress of the night who hasn't left NCIS all night like Ziva. Abby turns to her babies once more, hoping they'll turn on. But they don't. She sighs and turns back to Ziva.

"I need music," Abby says. Ziva stifles a laugh.

"Music? I would think that would be the least of your problems." Ziva straightens up when Abby glares at her. "Well, do you not have a radio? I am sure you have something that runs on batteries," Ziva says, setting the flashlight on the ground and taking a seat on the floor her legs crossed.

"I checked. All my batteries are dead and Tony checked stores, all of D.C. is out of power and I'm near the bottom of the list when it comes to needing batteries." Abby sighs and slumps to the floor. "That's not good Ziva!" Abby whines before grabbing Bert who was sitting on her table and clutching him tightly. The familiar sound of flatulence comes from the stuffed hippo.

"Well, I am sure you can get by a day without music Abby. It is not like it is a necessity," Ziva explains. This is where Abby's eyes grow wide and her face contorts into one of pure shock.

"You don't know that!" Abby snaps at Ziva, something she barely does even when she didn't like the former Mossad officer awhile back.

"Abby, it is not that big of a deal" Ziva states innocently not realizing she hurt the girl she looks at Abby intently, studying her features as they morph into rage.

"Yes it is Ziva!" Abby yells and throws Bert at Ziva menacingly. Ziva catches the farting hippo as Abby goes back into her office and sits in the far corner. The forensic scientist was acting very out of character.

"Abby, what's wrong?" Ziva asks, standing up as well, taking the flashlight with her and trying to find the gothic beauty in the darkness.

"You don't understand! I had to tap my foot to get some sort of music! I need music Ziva!" Abby choked. Ziva found her with the flashlight, Abby was curled up in the far corner, and the overly emotional young woman was fighting an onslaught of tears.

"What is it I do not understand?" Ziva asks. Abby, the ever-so-emotional goth bit her lip.

"No one understands, just leave me alone Ziva. I'll find music out of tin cans or something" Abby tried to advert the subject. Ziva, being a well trained Mossad Officer and now a Special Agent wouldn't let Abby go without an explanation.

"I will leave you alone if you tell me what is bugging you" Ziva states, she holds out Bert.

"Nothing." Abby grabs from Ziva.

"It is something," Ziva says, sitting down in front of the forensic scientist. "And I will not leave until I know what it is." Abby knew that was a threat, knowing that Ziva often goes into the men's bathroom with no problem to talk to Tony when he's avoiding something. Ziva often got straight to the point, and didn't like it when others didn't.

"It's stupid" Abby said, shifting her weight. "It's just…." She bites her lip before spilling her secret. "I need music because my parents were deaf and I couldn't stand the idea. So when I listen to music, it reassures me that I can hear." Abby didn't look at Ziva while she said any of that. "Happy now?" Abby asks still evading Ziva's gaze.

"Who else knows?" Ziva asks.

"Gibbs and Tony." Abby states. "And they're on a case so that's one of the last things on their mind I bet" Abby looks down towards the ground. Ziva spoke again which lifted the goths features.

"I assure you that they are thinking about it. Tony even mentioned to me about the battery problem. Abby, your secret is safe with me."

"Good." Abby smiles before reaching out to embrace Ziva in a suffocating hug. "Now, I have an idea…where can you get some lemons?"


End file.
